hiatus

noun hi·a·tus \ hī-ˈā-təs \

Updated on: 9 May 2018

Definition of hiatus

1 a : a break in or as if in a material object : gap

the weedy hiatus between the town and the railroad
—Willa Cather

the hiatus between the theory and the practice of the party
—J. G. Colton

b biology : a gap or passage in an anatomical part or organ

2 a : an interruption in time or continuity : break; especially : a period when something (such as a program or activity) is suspended or interrupted

after a 5-year hiatus from writing

a summer hiatus

b : the occurrence of two vowel sounds without pause or intervening consonantal sound

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Examples of hiatus in a Sentence

The band is making an album again after a five-year hiatus.
steam was rising from an hiatus in the ground

Recent Examples of hiatus from the Web

The fund has also called for the company to sell or spin off some businesses and to begin paying a dividend on common shares after a five-year hiatus.

— eric sylvers, WSJ, "Elliott Scores a Victory in Telecom Italia Fight," 4 May 2018
After a one-year hiatus, the sixth edition is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on June 28 and 29 at East Chicago, with registration $40.

— michael osipoff, Post-Tribune, "Purdue graduate E'Twaun Moore flourishes in expanded opportunity with New Orleans Pelicans," 27 Apr. 2018
Production on the film was put on hiatus last year after Cruise broke his ankle while filming a rooftop jump scene in London.

— Washington Post, "With Cruise, ‘A Quiet Place,’ Paramount ready for a comeback," 26 Apr. 2018
After a five-year crime hiatus, the East Area Rapist struck again, raping Cruz before bludgeoning her with a pipe wrench while her family vacationed in Mexico.

— benjy egel, sacbee, "Here's the string of crimes tied to the East Area Rapist in years of California terror | The Sacramento Bee," 25 Apr. 2018
The Phono del Sol Music and Food Festival is going on hiatus, its organizers announced.

— aidin vaziri, San Francisco Chronicle, "Phono del Sol Music Festival will not return this year," 20 Apr. 2018
The German, who has been on hiatus since leaving Borussia Dortmund, is wanted by a host of European clubs.

— SI.com, "Thomas Tuchel Reportedly Keen to Bring Tireless Chelsea Midfielder to PSG in the Summer," 10 Apr. 2018
McGregor went on hiatus from UFC after defeating Eddie Alvarez by technical knockout at UFC 205 in November 2016.

— ryan gaydos, Fox News, "Is Conor McGregor jeopardizing career with his erratic behavior, or ginning up interest in next move?," 7 Apr. 2018
After her release, Prentiss remained on hiatus from filmwork to focus on outpatient therapy.

— maria carter, Country Living, "Paula Prentiss and Richard Benjamin of 'He & She' Have One of the Longest Marriages In Hollywood," 9 Jan. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'hiatus.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

Hiatus comes from "hiare," a Latin verb meaning "to gape" or "to yawn," and first appeared in English in the middle of the 16th century. Originally, the word referred to a gap or opening in something, such as a cave opening in a cliff. In the 18th century, Laurence Sterne used the word humorously in his novel Tristram Shandy, writing of "the hiatus in Phutatorius's breeches." These days, "hiatus" is usually used in a temporal sense to refer to a pause or interruption (as in a song), or a period during which an activity is temporarily suspended (such as a hiatus from teaching).

Origin and Etymology of hiatus

Latin, from hiare to yawn — more at yawn

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1563

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

hiatus Synonyms

HIATUS Defined for English Language Learners

hiatus

noun

Definition of hiatus for English Language Learners

: a period of time when something (such as an activity or program) is stopped

Medical Dictionary

hiatus

noun hi·a·tus \ hī-ˈāt-əs \

medical Definition of hiatus

: a gap or passage through an anatomical part or organ; especially : an opening through which another part or organ passes (such as the opening in the diaphragm through which the esophagus and vagus nerves pass)